


Did you get what you deserve?

by mycosmicspacestorm



Series: The Academy Trials [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy
Genre: Character Death, Death, Human shield, Read the warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22152712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycosmicspacestorm/pseuds/mycosmicspacestorm
Summary: The Séance can’t die. Reginald finds this out and uses it to his advantage.
Series: The Academy Trials [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1545148
Comments: 3
Kudos: 59





	Did you get what you deserve?

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a continuation of the Bad things happen bingo. 
> 
> Prompt number 64 - Human shield and I’m using Klaus as my focus
> 
> (Warnings: Reginald is a terrible, major death, self sacrifice, lots of mention of death)

He hadn’t meant to die the first time. Of course, he hadn’t. No matter what the others would tell the press. Dad didn’t want them thinking that he was endangering his children by sending them on missions; said ‘it would be bad for business’ whatever that was supposed to be. 

Whatever they said, it had been an accident… the first time.

Klaus had been keeping watch, as he was usually set to do. He would lull around and make sure the hostages knew which way the bathroom was. Ha. Ha. What hero’s work he was doing. Sarcasm. Obviously. He knew he was more of a failure than any of them were willing to admit. Even Dad, who said it often, couldn’t quite sum up how much of a disappointment Klaus felt like all the time.

But. But he had been keeping watch. Simple, easy, just stay here and don’t move. But how could he just stand there while somebody pointed a gun at Ben? His Benny. Number Six. Simple solution: He couldn’t.

When the criminal moved, Klaus knew that he needed to do something. Legs seemed to move on their own and a gunshot went off. He only had one thing coursing through his head over and over…. He needed to save Benny. He needed to- He- 

This wasn’t good. Was it?

Klaus was being carried by someone. His vision was blurry and it hurt. It hurt. His torso felt like it was melting. Worse than eating too much candy or breaking his jaw. No- this was like hellfire. There were shouts all around him.

“We need to get him to Grace.” One voice commanded. This was the one carrying him. Luther- regrettably. 

“He’s not going to make it.” Five was always a pessimist. A realist. Whatever the heck he was at the moment. Alive. Annoying. Klaus tried his best to ignore him most of the time and now was no different.

“He will. We just need to hurry.” Oh sweet lovable Allison. How cute and quaint and- and naive. 

“Klaus…. Why’d you do it?” 

That last one. Benny. Bentacles. Klaus could tell from just his voice that he was crying. This sound made him open his eyes despite how heavy they felt. There were tears running down Ben’s face, but he was okay. There wasn’t a scratch on him. 

“Benny,” Klaus said in a small, slightly distant voice that sounded strange even to his own ears. He couldn’t tell where they were going, but they were moving. The figure carrying him - probably Luther - made a sound, but Klaus continued. “Benny, it’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not,” Ben cried out in a cracked voice. He was keeping pace with Luther as they went- wherever. Klaus gave a small mumble in return. Was it not? Why wasn’t it?

“Stay awake, Number Four,” A voice ordered from out of sight. Klaus opened his eyes again, but it was hard. He was severely lightheaded and couldn’t really concentrate on anything. It was fuzzy and too sharp and his head pounded from the sudden brightness.

Somehow Benny had moved to his other side without him noticing and there was a car in front of him. Klaus mumbled again as he wiggled his fingers slightly. They were cold. Colder then they should be. 

“ ‘M sorry,” Klaus whispered. His stomach was on fire, but everywhere else was going numb. He felt his eyes closing slowly. With every blink, it was harder to reopen them. Someone was calling his name, but Klaus couldn’t respond. He felt a clenching in his chest and then the lights went out. 

So.

A disappointment even in death, Number Four.

The first time Klaus came back from the dead, he had sat up with a start. It hurt to breathe and to look and to feel and to- to be alive. It hurt to be alive. He was alone in his bedroom and he felt tears on his cheeks. What happened? How had he gotten home? Why- 

There had been screams when he walked twenty minutes later into the dining room. Joyous shrieks and gleeful yells. He had been tackled by no less than three different people and it had taken Reginald a lot of yelling and threatening to get everyone to sit back down at the table to. 

They told Klaus that he had been dead. For two whole hours.

The bullet had lodged itself in Klaus’ stomach and blood loss had led to his heart giving out. He didn’t know why and the others didn’t know how. With further investigation by Mom, she figured that, seemingly on its own, the bullet had been pushed out of his body and his heart restarted. Even his blood had replenished itself slightly. Either way, everyone was overjoyed. Well- his siblings, Pogo, and Grace had been happy at least.

Reginald had no explanation… Nothing he was willing to tell anyone anyways. The rest of them were just relieved that Klaus was alive and breathing and- and okay. Klaus was confused, but glad.

Ben had hit him repeatedly. Every time he thought they were alone, he would punch or kick Klaus with angry words and even angrier tears. He told Klaus that he, under no circumstances, would EVER do that again. Klaus only laughed and did his best to smother Ben in hugs to comfort not only Ben but himself as well.

After a few weeks, no one mentioned Klaus dying.

There were a few changes. How could there not be? He had died and come back to life. Klaus wasn’t really surprised at their existence, just.. what they were.

Ben found himself following Klaus sometimes. He would swear that he wasn't, but Klaus started seeing him everywhere. It wasn’t annoying, but Klaus wondered why. It might have been that Ben was worried or grateful or- or scared that Klaus might- Well… 

The second was a little less obvious at first. 

Klaus thought that waking up in the middle of the night in immense pain was normal. His lungs would hurt and there would be burning along different places on his body. His chest, his throat, his stomach, his head. The first time it happened, he had dismissed it. Then it happened again. Then, it started happening once every few days and finally every single night. 

Klaus thought the ghosts had given him nightmares that he just couldn’t remember. They were angry with him for dying. That must be it. Nothing else could be happening. Right? Right, Dad?  
Reginald didn’t explain it for weeks, and, when he broke his silence, it was before a mission. 

“Number Four, you will follow them inside.” Reginald said in a commanding voice. Klaus perked up slightly. He would be involved? Allowed to fight? He had never been let in on the action. This was a chance to prove himself. Reginald nodded to him. “Your job is to protect the others. You will do everything in your power to make sure they don’t get hurt. Understood?”

“What?” Klaus definitely didn’t understand. Was he supposed to fight or not? Protecting them meant- what did it mean?

“You are to protect the others,” Reginald repeated in a hard voice. Klaus could feel his siblings staring at him, but none of them challenged Dad. They couldn’t. Not with- with what Reginald said next. “You are semi-immortal. Your siblings are not. Finally you are given the power to do something useful, Number Four. Protect the others.” 

Semi-imortal? Klaus tilted his head. How would Dad know that without running any training? It seemed impossible to pin down that exact conclusion. He wanted to, but Klaus wasn't brave enough to ask. 

So Klaus, shivering in fear, stood in front of the others when they entered the building. When fighting broke out, he tried his best to help; protecting Allison and Ben more than the others.  
Every mission after that was the same. Chaos. Chaos. Chaos. 

One month later, it happened. Luther and Diego fought a lot, but never on missions. It was always over stupid stuff like who took who’s thing and who was going to be in charge. This time, Diego had gotten angry with something Klaus hadn’t managed to understand and things had spiraled out of control. He had hit Luther square in the nose and Luther had retaliated. Diego had pulled out a knife. He had thrown it at-

Klaus was in front of Luther before the knife could hit him. Diego’s aim was true and Klaus felt the blade dig into his chest. Everything after that was darkness and pain. 

That jump started Klaus’ new relationship with death. So this was what Dad meant when he said Klaus would be useful. It was his job to defend the others. 

At least once every month he’d save someone. A citizen. His sibling. A criminal. He lost count of how many times he did it, but every time he did, he could feel Reginald’s approval. It was like a drug after a time. When he was dead, it was just black nothingness. Sure the pain of dying wasn’t pleasant, but he didn’t care.

The others started to tell him to stop. 

He got whispers in the hallway. Allison brushing her hands across him as she passed; going out of her way to give him hugs.

Diego would spend time with him. He was the only one of their siblings that would smoke with Klaus. He wouldn't do anything else, but cigarettes were passable. 

Ben begged and pleaded. He was afraid of Klaus dying and not coming back. He argued with Klaus to stop and Klaus had told him no. At this point, Klaus didn’t care about the pain. Only about whether or not his siblings were okay. He was doing all he could.

In fact- Klaus was getting good at this. He never missed and never let anyone get killed. Ever. He was at his peak and started to believe that he could do no wrong. Finally he had a purpose other than staying out of the way. He was helping! 

Until he wasn’t. He barely remembered the mission, but Klaus. Klaus failed. 

He failed one time. 

And Ben?

Ben was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> A note for post-reading. That paragraph in the middle of the story about Klaus waking up in the middle of the night to nightmares he couldn't remember was a little different. Klaus didn't know, but Reginald was testing his abilities. The different places he would be in pain (his chest, throat, stomach, head) indicated the separate methods Reginald used. His lungs hurt when he started breathing again.
> 
> Another note for the title. MCR's song "Dead!" - fits the theme very well. Here are some of the lyrics taken from the verse and then the chorus
> 
> "And if your heart stops beating  
> I'll be here wondering  
> Did you get what you deserve?  
> The ending of your life”
> 
> "Have you heard the news that you're dead?  
> No one ever had much nice to say  
> I think they never liked you anyway" 
> 
> And that's it! Got kind of dark at the end, and in the middle, and at the beggin--- well, you get the point. Stay safe and don't wander the streets alone. 
> 
> Thanks for reading


End file.
